


Pulling on Heartstrings

by acrylicTemper



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F, F/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-07
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-02-12 04:50:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 5,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2096382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acrylicTemper/pseuds/acrylicTemper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nepeta and Karkat are good friends. Really good friends. They've known each other since they were young. But when Nepeta returns from a visit to her mother broken and terrified, Karkat fears that she may never recover.</p><p>Warning; 90% of this is fluff and I am S H A M E L E S S L Y shipping these two after all these long years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. How Did We Meet? Do You Remember?

A classroom is filled with the scratching of pencils against paper. Heads bent over the desks, scrutinizing the owner's handiwork. Sunlight slants through the windows. A quiet afternoon of testing in the town of Annapolis, Maryland. All students were focused, except for one.

Nepeta Leijon, freshman in college, studying visual art. She wasn't much of a girl to look at. Small, with mouse-brown shoulder length hair, and olive-green eyes. Pale pink lips were always set in a small smile, and nose that was splashed with a few freckles. Another thing to be noted was a large green trench coat that she was never to be seen without. That and her blue cat hat.

On this very fine day, Nepeta was not testing. She already finished her testing of course. Actually, this wasn't even her school that she was at, oh no. Her school had sent her to a different school for a painting, a project, if you will. She was to draw a calming, but common scene, but to incorporate into the drawing, a mystery. Nepeta had many choices, but she chose this school, an acting school that was said to be haunted. She had hoped to be able to paint a calm classroom scene, but it the corner, lying in the shadows, would be a pale impression of a spirit, sad and excluded. The story that she wanted to incorporate was a girl, found dead in an empty classroom, with no lead on how she died. The investigators soon marked it as suicide, and the girl's spirit, enraged that no one would try to even find her murderer, haunted the halls of the school and forever in search for revenge against her murderer.

A drop of paint fell on Nepeta's dark painting apron. She paid no attention to it, because it fell on her apron, not on her clothes. She was trying to capture the sunlight before the sun set and she had no time to fuss over her apron.

'Now. If only that boy over there would stop moving. I can't paint him at all! He simply is so frustrating!' She fumed to herself. She had finished the sunlight, but now she was painting the students. The aforementioned boy turned his head yet again and Nepeta hit him with a small eraser. He turned towards her, frowning. He picked up the eraser and walked back to her to give it back, scowling all the way.

"Here's your fucking eraser." He hissed through his teeth. He handed her back tha eraser and was about to return to his desk when she spoke up.

"Hey, can you stop moving around in your seat? I can't paint you at all!" She whispered to him. He turned around again.

"Fine, whatever…" He grumbled. He walked to his desk and slumped into it, setting his head on his desk. Nepeta turned back to her painting and painted the boy in the empty spot on the canvas. Then, she moved to the black shadow that she had painted earlier. She picked a pale grey and painted a wispy smoke-like column in there. She made it look slightly like a girl, and then took red and painted small dots where the eyes should be. She took a step back and sighed happily. She was done! Finally.

Nepeta gathered her things and waved good-bye to the professor. She nodded her head once and smiled. Nepeta smiled as well, and walked out the classroom.

OoOoOoOoOoOoO

Nepeta now sat at a park bench. The sun had begun to set.

She turned her head slightly to look at the painting, protected in its covering. She blew a hair out of her face as she sighed and looked out to the street again, waiting.

'I have to be patient!' She chided herself when she considered calling him. 'He hates it when he's rushed.'

Then, she heard a shutter click, and the whine of a camera. She looked towards the sound and saw none other than Karkat Vantas. She gaped at his camera.

"KARKAT WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" She screeched, springing to her feet and swiping at the camera. Karkat snickered and snatched it away before she could get it.

"Taking a fucking picture, is that against the law?" He asked her, batting away her hands.

"Yes, it is! I didn't know you were taking my picture! That qualifies as stalking!" She said, still trying to get his camera.

"Sheesh, it's not like I'm going to paint it out for the whole world to see. But now that you mention it…" He smirked as he saw her look of horror. "Maybe I will…"

"You wouldn't!"

"You don't dictate what I can and can't do. If I want to paint out this picture, I will."

"Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarkaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa aaaaaaaaaaaaat!"

"Fine, I won't! What-fucking-ever…" He muttered. He put his camera away. "I'm keeping that picture though."

"… As long as you don't paint it out, I'll be happy." Nepeta sighed. She sat back down at the bench.

"So, let me see it, Nepeta. You were boasting so much about it on my way here, I thought my damn phone would explode from all those texts." He reached out for her canvas.

"Heehee, sorry, Karki—Karkat!" She giggled and handed her painting to him. He took it and peeled off its protective covering. She observed him as he did so.

Karkat had messy light brown hair, and red eyes. The red eyes were a result of his albinism. He was only part albino, and he was always sensitive to that fact, wearing either contacts or his glasses to draw attention away from his eyes. Nepeta always thought he looked good though, but she would never tell him that! Oh no, that would probably put a small rift in their friendship, and Nepeta would never want that! It would break her heart.

"It looks good, except I think you should have used transparent gouache and outlined it with acrylic, to make it look more… Ghostly… Fuck." Karkat yawned and Nepeta giggled.

"Tired, Karkat?" She looked at him and he scowled slightly.

"Shut up. I'm fine." Karkat yawned again. Nepeta suddenly remembered when they met. It was at this very park, to be exact.

It was when they were both 6 years old. Nepeta's mom had taken her to the sandbox to get away from her father. She was muttering the whole way and Nepeta knew to keep to herself. She played in the corner of the large sandbox, singing a soft tune to herself and drawing in the sand with a stick. Suddenly, a shadow obscured Nepeta's sunlight. She turned around to find herself looking at a small boy with white hair and red eyes. She stared at his hair as he plopped down beside her.

"Hi." The boy said. His voice had a slightly rough edge to it.

"…." Nepeta didn't speak. She kept drawing in the sand. The boy scowled slightly.

"My name's Karkat, what's yours?" He asked. Nepeta wrote her name into the sand. Karkat read it.

"Nepeta. That's a pretty name." He said to her. She nodded and touched her index and middle fingers to her lips and pulling them away again [thank you].

"What was that?" Karkat asked her. She wrote into the sand, 'Sign language.'

"What's a language?" Karkat asked. (A/N: remember guys, they're only 6 years old!) Nepeta thought for a moment and wrote: 'It's a different way to talk to people. With a different alphabet.'

"Oh, like Spanish and Chinese and stuff?" a nod of confirmation from Nepeta.

"Why do you use sign language?"

'Because I don't want to talk out loud because my mom might get angry at me.'

"Why would she be angry at you for talking?"

'Because she says my voice is annoying.'

"Oh…." Karkat fell silent for a second before asking her again, "Who taught you sign language?"

'My sister.'

"How old is she?"

'16.'

"Where is she now?"

'At the cemetery.'

"Why?"

'She died.'


	2. Old Friends and Future Events

Chapter 2: Old Friends

Viridian eyes flick lazily over a pile of papers. A soft breeze from a fan plays with reddish-brown hair. The bell in front of this small little pet shop jingles in the warm summer breeze, and the small girl at the counter straightens up, expecting customers, but when no one comes, a soft sigh escapes her lips.

“Jade? Can I run out to Starbucks real quick?” Nepeta called into the back room, where Jade, a pretty girl with large front teeth and long, long black hair stood, trying to trim a Pomeranian. She nodded slowly as she carefully trimmed the poor, trembling canine. Nepeta nabbed the small shoulder bag from under the counter and hurried out of the shop. She grabbed her bike and took off down the block to Starbucks.

A warm day in the city today, warm enough that your ice cream would melt just as you were about to bite into it. The sun’s relentless rays beat into Nepeta’s tan back as she rode her green bike down to the Starbucks. The wind blew Nepeta’s hair out of her eyes, and she smiled, straightening her back and taking in a deep breath. It’s almost as if i’m flying…!

A few minutes later, Starbucks safely stored in the basket attached to her bike, Nepeta began to bike back. She took a different route this time; Jade told her she was closing shop early and going out with Becquerel to enjoy the day. As such, Nepeta thought that it would be a wonderful opportunity to visit the park. As she rode her bike slowly through the streets, she could feel her heart lifting. Nepeta loved being outside.

She settled herself on her favorite bench by the lake, and stared at the water’s glassy reflection of the sky. Only a few years ago, she and her friends would depart everyday after school to come to this lake. Equius would swing Nepeta up onto his shoulders and carry her to the park. After much play fighting, he would agree for Nepeta to challenge Tavros and Gamzee to race from their school to the park. Gamzee would then pass the handlebars of the wheelchair over to Feferi, and pick up Tavros out of his chair. Sollux and Eridan would bolt for the seat, and Sollux usually won. Whoever got into the seat of the chair would be carted by Feferi, who rarely complained, but would make sassy remarks to the occupant’s hair.

Nepeta sipped her coffee, savoring the taste of chocolate and sweet memories.

As a gentle breeze blows over the the quiet park, Nepeta closed her eyes, remembering the blondes and brunettes that would join them from the other side of the park.  She could almost hear the voice of one particular cat-loving blonde, who had the tendency to speak very slurred.

“Hey, there Leon! How’re you doin’?!” Suddenly, Nepeta felt her drink get knocked out of her hand as someone smelling heavily of liquor squashed her into a hug.

“R-Roxy?!” Nepeta glanced at her attacker and found herself looking into soft pink eyes; Roxy Lalonde had come back to town.

“Hey there, Leon!” Roxy had a hard time saying Nepeta’s last name; she kept saying Leon. After a while, the name stuck. “How’s the fam?”

Nepeta smiled. I missed having my friends around. “The family is fine, Roxy. How’s yours?”

 

“Ah, I’m tired.” Nepeta leaned back in her chair and blew her bangs out of her eyes. No good. I’m gonna have to get these cut. The bitter-sweet scents of a coffee shop swirls around her. She had returned to Starbucks.

“You think you’re tired…” The chair next to Nepeta was pulled out, and 5 feet of pure unrestrained anger plopped itself right next to her with a long sigh. Enter, Karkat Vantas.

“Hey, Karkitty. Rough weekend?”

“You could say that.” Karkat rubbed his face tiredly. Nepeta peered at him and felt that something was a bit...  off with her longtime friend. She stared at him for a long long while until she realized.

“Karkitty, your roots are showing!” Karkat’s eyes snapped open and he lunged at Nepeta, slapping one hand over her mouth.

“Nepeta, we are in a public place. Please refrain from mentioning my abnormality.” Karkat whispered urgently. Nepeta rolled her eyes.

“Ohf, fpleasff. Asff if anfyofne noticfed.” Karkat sighed, frustrated, and let go of her. She spat out some stray hairs then ruffled his.

“You wanna go to Kanaya’s to get your roots redone? I gotta get a trim anyways.” Kanaya owned a small little beauty parlor in town, and Nepeta hadn’t been yet. She wanted to go, and she also missed seeing her tall elegant friend.

“Yeah I guess a visit to Kanaya wouldn’t hurt. As long as she doesn’t threaten to strap me down and forcefully change my hairstyle…” Kanaya was constantly peeved by Karkat’s messy hairstyle. It was a large soft mess of hair, with strands hanging out helter skelter, making him look every day like he just slept upside down in a pile of hay with wet hair. She always nagged him to let her cut it into something more manageable, but Karkat always objected. He had been born with slightly sharper ears than most, and that along with his albinism made him very eager for his long hair to hide his eyes and his ears.

As they stood up from their seats and collected their things, Nepeta dropped a small set of brass knuckles shaped as a cat. As she bent to pick it up, she remembered that she had just acquired them earlier from Roxy, along with some very shocking -- but happy -- news.

“Karkat, guess what?!” The poor boy nearly dropped his bag from fear of her loud tone and the sharp shriek she used to deliver her question.

“Jesus, Nepeta, can you not kill me before I graduate? I would very much like to wear the cap and gown and walk across the stage that marks the end of my torturous and hate filled reign at school and the beginning of another era of agony and self-depreciation in the workforce before retiring and--”

“Stop your belly-aching Jesus Christ Karkitty, it’s too hot for your rants.” They had stepped outside and Nepeta was already feeling the intense waves of heat coming from all directions, but most notably the large ball of gas and fire that is suspended in space.

“Are you gonna leave your bike here?” Karkat gestured towards the green bicycle. Nepeta nodded.

“It’s just down the street. I’ll get it later.” Karkat nodded and they strode quickly down the block. “So what did you want to tell me earlier?”

“Oh! You’ll never guess Karkitty! It’s the most adorable news!”

 

The door to Kanaya’s little boutique, Jade Envy, opened widely, the bell jangling violently. Kanaya didn’t need to look up to know that Karkat Vantas had stepped onto her premises. What she did not expect was the soft giggle of a female also ring out in the wake of this contained storm of anger (and fatigue).

“YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED?!” Kanaya sighed and shut the book she was reading. She looked up to see herself staring into a pair of tired, sunken brown eyes, covered by a mess of bangs.

“Karkat.” Kanaya peered behind him and spotted Nepeta. A small smile lifted the edges of her lips. “and Nepeta. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Hey Kanay--”

“STOP AVOIDING ME KANAYA” Karkat cut off Nepeta’s sentence. Kanaya raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, and Nepeta crossed her arms, rolling her eyes, amused.

“Impeccable manners, as ever, Karkat,” Kanaya said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Yes, I am indeed going to be joined in harmonic and holy union with my significant other.”

“WHO?!”

“Shouldn’t you know by now?”

“HOW THE HELL COULD I KNOW IF YOU NEVER TOLD ME?!” Nepeta elbowed him in the ribs. He glanced over at her, and she motioned for him to lower his tone. Kanaya smiled.

“Why don’t we talk about this over some snacks?”

 

“Yes, Karkat, I am getting married, and if you had been paying attention all these years when you visited me at the boutique, and at home.” At this statement, Karkat promptly choked on his coffee and madeline.

“You’re getting married to Rose?!” Kanaya smiled wanly and nodded. Nepeta squealed and rushed to hug her. Kanaya accepted the hug. Karkat stayed in his seat and stared at his drink.

“How could I not have known you two were together…?” He muttered.

“Heterosexual normality, it’s just what society taught you.” Kanaya handed him a napkin and sat down. Nepeta began to pester her with questions, like where will the wedding be held, what they would be wearing, what color will it be, et cetera. Karkat watched in fascination, and growing happiness for his life-long friend, and maternal figure.

“Hey Kanaya, I’m happy for you.” Kanaya stopped in the middle of her sentence, and turned to Karkat. He smiled at her crookedly, as sincere as he could. Kanaya, moved by his statement, started to cry. Karkat, flustered by her tears, scrambled to wrap his arms around her. After a few moments they let go of each other and Karkat returned to his seat.

“Speaking of news, aren’t you leaving to visit your sister soon, Nepeta?”


	3. Reminisce in the Past

A stiff, cold wind blows through naked trees, kicking up long dead leaves and small twigs. The wind rips papers out of the hands of a girl walking out of the law firm down the street, and sweeps off the hat of a musician, singing a song for his dinner money. In the cemetery stands a solitary girl, in front of a grave covered – strangely – in what was known as catnip. Usually cats would be all over this grave, but today, it seemed that the felines of the city knew better than to come on a day that was to be in remorse.

           _Happy birthday, Meulin._

That’s right. It’s been around 10 years since Meulin died, 2 months before her birthday.

Talk about a shitty early birthday present.

Nepeta smiled at the dry joke. Meulin may be dead, but Nepeta knew she would laugh at that, and since today was her birthday, Nepeta will smile for her, because Meulin had stated herself that:

It’s stupid to be sad on a birthday. Birthdays are happy occasions, and to be sad is the equivalent of a federal crime.

Nepeta smiled softly again, remembering the day when Meulin had told her that.

It had been so long ago. It had been her 7th birthday, and one of the kids that their mother had invited had made her upset. Terribly upset. Instead of coming down for cake when her mother called, she stayed up in Meulin’s treehouse, crying over her broken tiara that Meulin spent the whole night making for her. Meulin came up and took one look at her crying face and instantly frowned.

She comes over and picks Nepeta up. “It’s nyot purroper fur a purrincess to be crying,” She scolds gently. “You must hold mewr head high, even in the darkest times! Purrincesses are to be looked up to. And, besides, mew must nefur, efur, efur cry during a birthday. It is the equivalent—

“—of a federal crime. I know, Meu...” Nepeta's voice cracks like breaking ice in the stony silence of the cemetery, tears streaming down her freckled cheeks. “… I know.”

 

It’s been a week since Nepeta’s been gone, and Karkat was beginning to think that she got herself in an accident. Each day he fretted over this more and more, his worry increasing by very large amounts of oh-my-fucking-god-she-might-be-dead. It had gotten to the point where he was running to get to Jade’s Pet Shop every day because he was freaking out. Every day he returned to his dorm slightly calmed down, but still worried as hell.

Why the fuck am I so worried…?

The thought struck him in the middle of his class. He had been staring at Nepeta’s empty seat for a sizeable chunk of the lecture. He scrunched his eyebrows together and thought over the reasons.

‘Why am I so worried?’ Because she’s my friend!

Yes, that was it. Karkat nodded, satisfied. He was worried because she was a very good friend of his. Nothing could possibly have happened to Nepeta. She was the luckiest and happiest person he knew.

She should be perfectly fine. She’ll make it back, and then they’ll go to Rose and Kanaya’s wedding, and all would be well.

He prayed to every single god out there on earth and the ethereal plane that he was right.

 

Karkat ran through the halls of the hospital. His shoes beat on the white tiles. He stops at a turn, nearly running over a nurse wheeling a mental patient down the hall.

_Nepeta_

_The black line, the black line on the wall_ , the receptionist said.

_Where is the black line?!_

Karkat frantically searches the wall for that line that would lead him to Nepeta.

_THERE!!!!!_

He runs to her room, praying to whoever the fuck made this world that she was fine. Just like she should be.

“Nepeta!!!!!” He bursts into her room. He was met with silence, and a long, monotonous, beep.

Karkat’s knees hit the ground with a strangled gasp. Only one thought reverberated through his mind.

_Nepeta is gone._

The tears started like twin rivers down his face before he could try to stop them, and he didn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, feels.  
> Feeeeeeeeeeeeelssssssssss  
> Sorry I've been away. I've been a bit busy with school. And requests. And family stuff.  
> But I return! For a short time.


	4. Damn These Nightmares

The low murmurs of words of comfort and soft sobbing could be heard as Karkat moved about the room. The pews of the church were draped in black and the theme repeated in everyone’s attire. Karkat didn’t pay much attention to everyone else; he was making his way to the casket. No one had approached it thus far. Karkat had finally mustered up the courage to go and see her.

Nepeta…

When he reached the casket, he peered inside cautiously. There, as though she were sleeping, lay Nepeta. Clothed in a pale green dress, she was the only spot of color in the room.

… at…

A small voice sounded in the depths of Karkat’s brain. He looked around, thinking that someone had called him, but everyone was either sobbing or staring emptily ahead. Karkat frowned slightly; where was all his friends? Where was Jade? She wouldn’t miss her best friend’s… anything. Nepeta and Jade had been friends since grade school. They went to almost every event with each other. It seemed out of this world that Jade wasn’t here, at her best friend’s funeral.

… arkat…

There it was again! That voice. It didn’t sound like it was coming from anyone around him, more from his own head. But it was… familiar. In an annoying, stubborn, assholish kind of way.

… Karkat!

The room went black and Karkat felt himself falling--

\-- forward and smacking his forehead onto the cool surface of his desk. He sat up abruptly and cursed, rubbing his now throbbing head. The professor glared from the front of the room.

“Mr. Vantas, would you like to explain this lesson since you so obviously know everything about it, to the point where you deem it appropriate to sleep in class?!” Karkat shook his head mutely. The professor huffed and returned to teaching his lesson. Karkat waited for a few moments, trying to refocus his vision. When he succeeded in doing so, he glared at the lispy douchebag sniggering next to him.

“God, Karkat, you thnored tho loud I wath thure the building wath collathping.” Sollux Captor, douchebag and hacker, extraordinaire. His ever-present lisp is a result of his tongue flicking off his abnormally large two front teeth and canines. Being Greek, he wasn’t too bad looking, with short dark brown hair and dichromatic eyes, the left one being blue, and the right one a warm brown, with hints of red. It was his eyes that drove girls crazy, always asking him to whip off his dumb 3D glasses and showing his eyes to them. Karkat glared at Sollux straight in his 3D glasses.

“Captor, why don’t you take those glasses of yours and shove them straight up your slime slicked carpal tunnels because obviously you are so much of an asshole that shoving them up there might improve your self depreciating personality, and not the other way around.” Karkat snarled. Sollux’s grin grew wider with each illustrated insult.

“Tho, Thleeping Beauty really ith awake. I thought you were talking in your thleep.” He snided. Karkat threw his eraser at Sollux, in which the latter easily dodged with a snigger.

“Are you two even putting in any effort to pay attention to this lecture?! Need I remind you that this is going to be on your midterm - which, I might add, is half of your grade!” The two of them turned to face the professor. The professor stood in quite a strange stance, legs spread slightly apart and his hands on his hips. His eyebrow twitched irritatingly. “If you don’t want to learn, then get out!” He flicked his hand at the door. Sollux and Karkat remained seated. The professor stared down the two of them for a good 3 minutes, then resumed his lecture. Karkat glared at Sollux, the latter doing nothing but chuckle and fuck around on his phone.

Karkat ran a hand through his hand and sighed. The dream of Nepeta’s death had been bothering him for a few days now. He knew she was in Washington visiting her sister but beyond that he knew nothing. He was worried that she hadn’t come back yet, and he hadn’t heard from her. It’s been two weeks, and as stable and as much as Jade told him she was fine, he could tell that Jade was bothered by Nepeta’s extended absence as well.

Maybe I should text her… She doesn’t seem to like picking up calls… Karkat drew his phone out of his pocket and discreetly sent a text to Nepeta, saying:

CG: Hello, this is God, I just wanted to check up on you because you’ve been so damn discreet about this whole ordeal wherever the fuck you are that I, the omnipotent holy entity of many religions, don’t even know where you are and what in Heaven’s name are you doing?

Then he dropped his phone onto his desk and dully stared at the professor. After a few minutes his phone buzzed, informing him of an incoming message.

AC: I would say Praise the Lord, but unluckily for you, “God”, I am atheist, and even if you did exist, your number looks suspiciously like my friend Karkat’s number :P

AC: As fur what I’m doing, I’m visiting my sister. Duh.

Karkat picked up his phone and started to type rapidly.

CG: Visiting your sister does not necessarily mean you cut off contact from your friends the entire time you are gone, and by the way when are you getting back?

After a few minutes, Nepeta replied.

AC: Boarding the plane right now. Message you when I get home, in about 4-5 hours. Mind picking me up so I don’t have to take the cab?

CG: Yeah just give me the info on where you’ll get off and stuff.

Nepeta sent him the information, and he focused back on the professor. What a dull lecture, honestly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter but  
> LOL  
> LOLOLOLOLOL  
> I feel like I kinda trolled you guys?? Whatever anyways :3 Yeah  
> I actually had this written out and between all this shit I had going on I had time to write!! So yeah  
> Don't expect anything from me though...  
> I will try to update more often though!!   
> (comments are my fodder, feed me and I shall work for ye)


	5. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> P U R E F L U F F

_ It’s still the same. _

Karkat woke up in sweat. His shirt seemed to be choking him. His skin was slick and screaming for some cool air. The nightmare was back. But why?

Nepeta was home. She was fine, in fact she was staying over at his place today because Jade forgot to make a key for her before she left to visit her brother and grandfather in some far-the-fuck-away island. Their situation was temporary, until Jade came back, but Karkat found he enjoyed her company in his small home. He was tempted to ask her to stay.

_ Just to make sur-- _

No, not for that reason. She’s fine, she’s going to be fine, and nothing abnormal and earth shattering was going to happen. He told himself this over and over as he laid back down and attempted to sleep.

Everything is fine… so why did he feel like she was in danger?

 

OoOoOoOoOoO

Karkat was having another nightmare. Nepeta could hear him toss and turn restlessly in his sheets. She always was such a light sleeper. She was worried for him; whatever these nightmares are, it was making him lose sleep. There was only so much that coffee could do to keep you sane. 

She decided to go over and try to talk to him; maybe it would help him with whatever it was he was fearing. She pushed off the soft covers and padded across his small flat to his room. She was about to knock when she heard something.

“Nepeta…” A soft voice called out, voice tinged butter yellow with worry for her. She felt touched, but even more concerned for him. Whatever he was dreaming was causing him a lot of anguish. She wanted to help.

Pushing the door open gently, so as to not to shock him awake, she made her way silently across the floor to his bed. It was evident by the twisted bedsheets and the sweat sheen on his face that Karkat was indeed very agitated. Nepeta touched his shoulder gently, and in the dim light filtering through his heavy curtained windows, she could see him open those ruby eyes slowly. Taking a stuttering breath, he faced her.

“... You okay?” She asked quietly, her features drawn anxiously. He didn’t speak for a few seconds, and sat up. He didn’t look at her. She stayed silent and waited.

Rustling cloth could be heard, and she felt a warm, slightly clammy hand close over her own, rough callouses rubbing on her own bony knuckles. Summery green met ruby red, and silence stretched in the space between them.

“... You’re okay…” He murmured softly, eyes never leaving her face. Her lips twitched, almost a smile, but not quite.

“Of course I am.” She rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb soothingly. Dark eyelids with long fluttering lashes closed over those bright red eyes she used to adore.

_ Used to. _

It’s been so long. She hadn’t thought about it in so long. And frankly she doesn’t want to. Not right now when he needed her most.

“Want me to stay here with you?” He hesitated. She could hear him stop breathing. Time seemed to slow.

Then…

A sharp exhale. A curt nod, a flicker of that beautiful red. He slowly inched over to allow her space to cuddle with him. There wasn’t much else to do on his small twin size. She awkwardly lay next to him, carefully balancing on the edge of the bed. She shifted ever so slightly closer until she was comfortable enough to sleep. She heard a huff of impatience, and next thing she knew, she was smushed against a warm, broad chest. Her ears and neck burned like the morning sun. He shifted against her, sliding an arm underneath her head, and pulling her flush against him. Her heart throbbed in tandem with his. Carefully, as to not shift too much from their position, she slid an arm around his waist. He sighed contentedly and all the tension left him. His arm slid up her waist and threaded through the soft strands of her hair, playing with the ends. He curled around her tighter as she pulled the soft comforter over the both of them and nuzzled into him. Their eyes fluttered shut, and for the first time in a while, Karkat slept peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know no one reads this anymore, and I really don't wanna talk about why I've been gone for so long, but here's a fluff chapter. Let's make up and make out, yeah? Just kidding. Please fur-give me

**Author's Note:**

> This was on fanfiction, but I'm moving it to AO3 since I'm on here more. I'm sorry to any readers that waited so long for me to update. I just didnt have time and I kept forgetting that I had this story on fanfiction. Hopefully I won't be as busy this school year...


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